Former Trump Official Accuses Buttigieg of Allowing Trucking Schools to Self-Certify

Sean Duffy claims Biden's Transportation Secretary enabled unqualified drivers on US roads

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:20am

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Former Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy alleged during a cabinet meeting that current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg allowed trucking schools to 'self-certify' that their students were qualified to drive commercial vehicles, leading to a surge of unfit immigrant drivers on American highways. Duffy compared this to issues at a 'Quality Learning Center' in Minneapolis, where he said people could pay $800 to get a certificate without proper training or testing.

Why it matters

If true, Duffy's claims would suggest a major lapse in oversight by the Biden administration that endangered public safety on US roads. The rise of unqualified immigrant truck drivers has been a growing concern, with incidents of drivers struggling to understand road signs or communicate with law enforcement.

The details

In the video, Duffy said the 'last administration' - referring to the Trump presidency - had cracked down on 'illegal and reckless practices' that allowed 'poorly trained drivers to get behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses.' He contrasted this with the current Biden administration, alleging that Buttigieg's Transportation Department had allowed trucking schools to self-certify that their students were qualified, without proper testing or vetting.

  • Duffy made the allegations during a cabinet meeting on March 26, 2026.

The players

Sean Duffy

Former Transportation Secretary under the Trump administration who is now accusing the current Biden administration of lax oversight of commercial driver training.

Pete Buttigieg

Current Transportation Secretary under the Biden administration, who Duffy alleges allowed trucking schools to self-certify their students as qualified drivers.

Quality Learning Center

A Minneapolis-based facility that Duffy claims allowed people to pay $800 to get a commercial driver's license certificate without proper training or testing.

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What they’re saying

“If you can't understand road signs, if you can't communicate with law enforcement, when you're pulled over and communicate what's on your rig, huge problem.”

— Sean Duffy, Former Transportation Secretary

“But the last administration, Mr. President, they let truck driving schools self-certify. They were qualified to train truck drivers. And so this is like the learing center, where you could pay $800 and uh, you'd get a certificate that you had passed a CDL driving school, and they have no skills, they don't have the knowledge and they haven't gone through any of the testing.”

— Sean Duffy, Former Transportation Secretary

“And then they get licenses and they're killing Americans on our roads.”

— Sean Duffy, Former Transportation Secretary

What’s next

The Biden administration has not yet responded to Duffy's allegations. It remains to be seen if any investigations or policy changes will result from these claims.

The takeaway

Duffy's accusations, if true, would represent a major failure of oversight by the Biden administration that endangered public safety on US roads. The issue of unqualified commercial drivers, particularly among immigrant populations, has been an ongoing concern, and this case highlights the need for rigorous training and certification standards to protect all drivers.